Jacksonville Personal Injury Blog

A new law in Florida should make our roads safer from individuals who just don’t take driving seriously.

According to a report, beginning January 1, any driver who is convicted of three moving violations that led to a Florida car crash during a three-year-period will lose their license. Once that happens, the motorist will be able to get their license back if they pass a $500 education course and pay another $48 to take and pass the driver’s test.
Drivers be warned - the clock does not start ticking on this new law January 1. Any crashes in 2008 and 2009 will count, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

How many of you have wished there was a “refresher course” for some drivers, especially the ones who follow too closely behind someone, text while driving, and pass on the right in your blind spot?

Continue reading " Three Wrecks and You’re Off the Road " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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Highway 301 in North Florida was closed in both directions, according to a story, for more than three hours Friday morning after a three-car wreck took one driver’s life. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 76-year-old woman of Callahan was driving south on Highway 301 in Nassau County and was trying to make a left turn across the highway to enter her driveway. While slowing down, she was struck from behind by a Toyota sports car being driven by a 21-year-old man of Hilliard. The Toyota bumped the woman’s Buick into the path of a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer.

The decedent’s car was pushed off the road and into the woods. She was wearing her seat belt but the car was a tangled mass of metal and she sadly died upon impact after the auto accident in Florida.

Our hearts go out to out to the family of this woman who was loved in the community and well-respected. She was just trying to pull into her driveway as she had done so many times over the years she lived in Callahan. The young driver, who suffered a minor injury, will have to live with this for the rest of his life as will the big-rig driver, who apparently could not stop his tractor- trailer in time.

The FHP says charges are pending after an investigation is complete.

Normally if you are injured by a tractor trailer in a Florida truck accident, the driver is liable for your injuries and the company they were driving for might be liable as well. In these cases, it is important to have an accident attorney determine the ownership of the vehicles involved, the number of hours the driver was on the road, and whether he had a CDL or commercial driver’s license.

Continue reading " North Florida Three-Car Wreck Kills Woman Heading Home " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Truck Accident , Wrongful Death

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St. Augustine is home to the oldest port in the continental United States – in fact, St. Augustine is commonly referred to as “the nation’s oldest city.” In 2004, the population was estimated to be 12,157. Home to beautiful beaches and museums, St. Augustine continues to be a popular tourist destination in Northern Florida. Located about 40 miles south of Jacksonville and 60 miles north of Daytona Beach just 5 miles east of Interstate 95, St. Augustine is also a well traversed location. As a vastly populated area, St. Augustine residents and visitors use a wide variety and large amount of products on day to day. When children, adults, and the elderly use products that result in personal injury or wrongful death, a skilled St. Augustine product liability attorney can help the injured person or the decedent’s family receive compensation for financial hardships.

A lot of people don’t want to believe or admit that defective products are out there, but defective medical devices, defective children’s furniture and toys, defective auto parts, and defective electronics and household products are all an unpleasant reality and can have serious consequences on a victim’s life. The knowledge and skills of a defective products attorney in St. Augustine is needed when taking on product designers and manufacturers who will do almost anything to cover up mistakes so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death.

As consumers who expect that products they purchase are safe, reliable and risk-free, it is devastating to have that trust violated. If a defective product was the cause of you or loved one’s injury, or if someone you care about has been wrongfully killed, the skilled product liability attorneys at Farah and Farah will aggressively defend your rights and ensure that the negligent manufacturer is held responsible for the harm their dangerous product has caused. Contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah today for a confidential consultation:

1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
Phone: (904) 797-7977

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Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Defective Medical Device , Personal Injury , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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Lawyers representing the mother of the 21-year-old pilot of a Disney monorail who died July 5, have been denied the opportunity to inspect all of the evidence into the death, according to an account.

One of the attorneys had filed a Petition for a Pure Bill of Discovery that allows evidence to be turned over before a lawsuit is filed. He also sought a list of witnesses and employees involved in the early morning operation of the monorail. The concern is that evidence may disappear at some point so Disney has been ordered not to destroy potential evidence in a civil case, which would be against the law.

Attorneys want to know what the video from the surveillance cameras shows as well as any audio communication or black box data recorders from the platform. The platform is the location where monorail workers could have given the command for the pink train to move into reverse where it crashed into the purple train, piloted by the decedent.

Instead of heading for the shop for maintenance, as the monorails do every night, when the anti-collision system is disabled, the pink train went in the opposite direction toward the Transportation and Ticket Center. The question is whether this Florida job accident and preventable wrongful death was a result of human or mechanical error. Only the data will prove that with any certainty.

Continue reading " Florida Death on the Job: Disney Monorail Victim Mother Goes to Court " »

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Posted In: Personal Injury , Workers' Compensation , Wrongful Death

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Once again, according to an article, another pedestrian has tragically been hit by a car and killed.

The Florida pedestrian accident happened in St. Johns County on U.S. 1 Saturday night around 10 p.m. The unidentified person was walking on the roadway on the inside lane north of a pedestrian crosswalk on his way to a Target store.

The Florida Highway Patrol will not identify the man until his next of kin is notified. The car that struck the pedestrian was driven by a 21-year-old man of Hastings. He was traveling south on the inside lane when he struck the man who died at the scene. He and his passenger suffered minor injuries. FHP says they had their seat belts on.

Our condolences go out to this man and his family. His was unfortunately one of about 4,000 to 5,000 pedestrian deaths reported nationwide. Typically the hours for accidents occur between 5 and 11 p.m. and nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in 2003. And Florida is one of four states (California, Texas and New York) that are the top states for pedestrian fatalities, making up 29 percent of total traffic fatalities across the country according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

We also know from statistics that speeding and alcohol impairment are the major contributing factors in crashes of all types and the variety of serious injuries suffered as a result of a car collision can be life-altering.

In Florida, the Highway Patrol reports that 15.5 percent of all traffic fatalities were pedestrians in 2003, with 504 people killed and more than 7,000 injured. Unfortunately in more than 10 percent of all pedestrian crashes, the individual had been drinking and about one-third of all pedestrian-auto crashes, the pedestrian had been drinking.

Continue reading " Pedestrian Killed In St. Johns County Accident " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Brunswick is a city in southeastern Georgia located about 30 miles north of Florida. Home to the fourth-largest automobile port in the eastern United States, the city's economy encompasses manufacturing, agricultural processing, and bulk cargoes. In 2007, the city proper had an estimated population of 16,235 and an estimated metropolitan population of 101,792. Brunswick’s metropolitan area is the twelfth-largest in the state of Georgia and includes the counties of Glynn, Brantley, and McIntosh. With a region that encompasses such a large, varied area and a population that is on the rise, residents and visitors alike use a huge amount and wide array of products on a daily basis. When children, adults, and the elderly use products that result in personal injury or wrongful death, a Brunswick, Georgia product liability attorney can help the injured person or the decedent’s family receive compensation for financial hardships.

A lot of people don’t want to believe or admit that defective products are out there, but defective medical devices, defective auto parts, defective children’s furniture and toys, and defective electronics and household products are all an unfortunate reality and can have serious life-altering consequences. The knowledge and skills of a product liability attorney in Brunswick, Georgia is needed when taking on product designers and manufacturers who will do anything like cover up mistakes so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death.

As consumers who expect that products they purchase are safe, reliable and risk-free, it is devastating to have that trust violated. If a defective product was the cause of you or loved one’s injury, or if someone you care about has been wrongfully killed, the skilled attorneys at Farah and Farah can help. We will aggressively defend your rights and ensure that the negligent manufacturer is held responsible for the harm their dangerous product has caused. Contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah today for a confidential consultation:

4216 Coral Park Drive,
Suite 107
Brunswick, GA 31520
Phone: (912) 466-8896

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Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Defective Drug , Personal Injury , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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An early morning pile-up auto accident in Florida on Interstate 4 Monday has left a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper and three others injured, according to an account.

A tractor-trailer driver of Orlando was driving westbound when the FHP says he approached a construction zone around 2 a.m. A FHP trooper was in his car and had his emergency blue lights flashing to ensure that drivers slowed down from the road construction ahead. He was between two construction trucks that also had flashing arrows and all were reported to be moving slowly in the center lane.

Instead of slowing down, the semi hit a construction vehicle which then hit a FHP trooper’s vehicle, which then ran into another construction truck.

The truck driver, the FHP officer, and two construction workers are in serious condition.

We are very sorry that someone in law enforcement doing his job was hurt in the line of work as were those who work to make our roads better. It is dangerous work and we wish everyone injured a speedy recovery.

FHP will question whether at any time the truck driver applied his brakes. If not, he may have fallen asleep and faces losing his commercial license and could be charged.

Continue reading " Florida Highway Vehicle Crash Injures 4 " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Truck Accident

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State Farm’s property insurance division has been threatening to leave the state and homeowners without options, while leaving the more lucrative auto insurance business in the state. Now, according to an article, Florida’s Insurance Commission says State Farm may not leave Florida. Commissioner Kevin McCarty said Thursday it was his “gut feeling” even though the insurance giant was not allowed to raise its rates by up to 67 percent last January by an administrative law judge.

This news leaves 1.2 million Floridians with a huge unanswered question – where will they turn? The more insurance options there are to choose from, the better competitive pricing options one generally has. Gov. Charlie Crist was considering allowing a property insurance bill to become law which would have allowed property insurers to charge anything they want to insurer properties against hurricanes, but last month he vetoed the bill, citing the new smaller insurance companies that have come in to assume about 400,000 homeowner policies. State Farm is pinning its hopes on an override of the veto, which would have to be done in a special session of the state legislature.

Without that, State Farm says it plans to leave the property insurance business in Florida within two years. Expect others to follow suit or to reduce their exposure for coastal properties. McCarty is looking to a national catastrophic fund that would pool money from many states to help property owners along the coast recover property damage when a hurricane or natural disaster strikes. In the meantime, let’s cross our fingers – hurricane season ends in October.

Continue reading " Is State Farm Staying? " »

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Posted In: Hurricane Insurance , Insurance Claims , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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Palatka, Florida is 7.5 square miles in size, and houses a population of 10,804 people as of July 2007. Part of Putnam County, Palatka has a population density of 1,543 people per square mile, but has experienced a 7.5% rise in population since the year 2000. Only slightly more than 20% of Palatka residents both live and work within the city limits, with the vast majority of residents commuting out of the city for employment. Unfortunately, nearly one-third of Palatka’s population lives below the poverty line, a sign that economic opportunity and access to quality services, such as healthcare, are limited.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 7.1% of Florida residents did not get medical care due to cost, while 10.0% of residents delayed medical care due to cost (versus national averages of 5.5% and 7.7% respectively). The city of Palatka has one hospital, Putnam Community Medical Center. All other hospitals or medical treatment centers neighboring Palatka are at least 25 miles away from the city limits. With large amounts of residents requiring medical attention throughout the year, cases of medical malpractice in Palatka can result from failure to diagnose, birth injuries, hospital negligence, and surgical injuries. The knowledge and skills of a Palatka medical malpractice attorney is needed when taking on insurance companies, big hospitals, and/or doctors who will try to cover up mistakes so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death.

With some residents relying on medication to maintain healthy living or treat an illness, adverse drug reactions can be experienced when a pharmaceutical company fails to inform consumers with proper warnings. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a dangerous drug in or near Palatka, Florida, please call the skilled Palatka pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Farah and Farah. Our dedicated lawyers will draw on years of experience handling cases centering-around shoddy health care and pharmaceutical blunder, and will hold negligent parties responsible for their actions. At Farah and Farah, we will examine the details of your situation to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. Please contact our knowledgeable attorneys today for a free evaluation at:

417 St. Johns Avenue
Palatka, Florida 32177
Phone: (386) 328-2889

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Posted In: Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation

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A young Jacksonville mother and her child were found drowned this week and there are many unanswered questions.

The 18-year-old mother and her 18-month-old daughter were found just after noon in a subdivision community pool in Arlington, according to an article. The pool area is usually locked. The woman was said to be an accomplished swimmer. An unidentified 18-year-old man was found at the scene and hospitalized. He had reportedly ingested a great deal of chlorinated pool water and appeared in shock and was naked. Investigators will be anxious to talk to him to determine if there was any foul play in this Jacksonville wrongful death accident.

Our condolences go out to the family of this beautiful young mother and her child. It is a tragedy to have to lose two such special people.

Florida leads the nation in the number of drowning accidents of children between the ages of one to four. In 2006, there were 72 drowning deaths of children under the age of four. Duval County is among the counties with the highest number of drowning deaths, according to state statistics.

Some neighbors, who are still in shock, wonder if lightning might have struck nearby. July is the deadliest month for lightning strikes in Florida and we are reminded that lightning strikes can precede a storm. Already this year, two people in Central Florida have been killed by lightning. It happened at a picnic in Lakeland, Florida where the conditions were described as sunny with a slight drizzle.

Continue reading " Jacksonville Drowning of Mother and Child in Community Pool " »

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Posted In: Personal Injury , Premises Liability , Swimming Pool Accidents , Wrongful Death

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With a population of about 68,347 people, Amelia Island is located off the coast of Florida. Part of Nassau County and home to Amelia City and Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island is only 18.2 square miles in size. Known as the “Isle of Eight Flags,” it is host to numerous festivals that tourists flock to annually, such as the Amelia Island Jazz Festival, the Amelia Island Film Festival, the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Amelia Island’s principle economic industry is tourism, with attractions ranging from sailing to camping. With so many people coming and going, there are bound to be accidents and mishaps that lead to injuries; injuries that will undoubtedly require medical attention.

From the time period of 1990-2003, there were 13,498 medical malpractice reports made against physicians in Florida (according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services). In the event that you or a family member becomes a victim of medical wrongdoing, the skilled Amelia Island medical malpractice attorneys at Farah and Farah are prepared to hold negligible parties responsible for their actions and get you the compensation that is duly yours.

In addition to the medical malpractice problem, residents of Amelia Island must also contend with the influential sway of pharmaceutical companies, who proposition physicians and other care-givers to administer their pharmaceutical medications. Propositions such as this would not always be an issue provided the administering of these new medications was always in the best interests of the patients, but unfortunately the best interests of clients are sometimes secondary to the financial interests of physicians and care facilities who receive incentive through monetary compensation from pharmaceutical companies. If you’ve experienced adverse reactions to a defective drug, the Amelia Island pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Farah and Farah can help you determine the best course of action to take. Don’t hesitate to contact our Amelia Island office today:

501 Centre St.
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034
Phone: (904) 261-4440

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Posted In: Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation

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Just how are we doing as a state in regard to highway fatalities? A new report issued from the Florida Highway Patrol compiled crash data from around the state for 2008.

Unbelievably- Jacksonville was the top city for the number of crashes around the state, even topping Miami by about 50 percent. There were 14,000 auto crashes in Jacksonville in 2008. There are very aggressive drivers around Jacksonville, and add talking on a cell phone, texting and other distractions and it is not entirely surprising. Also, about 60 percent of traffic fatalities result from people not wearing their seat belts.

On the other hand, there is good news to report. The number of traffic fatalities (2,983) on Florida’s roads in 2008 was 3,221 less than the year before. This is the first time there have been fewer than 3,000 fatalities on Florida’s roads since 2000. Alcohol related crashes declined six percent during the same time period. Still, drunk driving contributes to about 40 percent of traffic accidents.

Continue reading " Florida Highway Fatalities Eight Year Low " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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An 11 year old boy has died in Florida behind the wheel of a four-wheeler, according to a story. Four-wheelers are like motorcycles but generally driven by kids off-road in the countryside. This Florida wrongful death accident happened in Madison County near Tallahassee Friday afternoon.

A witness told the Florida Highway Patrol that the young boy passed him on the left before he lost control and went into an embankment. The vehicle then overturned and slammed into a tree. The 11 year old was thrown from the four-wheeler and died at the scene. A 25 year old passenger of Miami was ejected and taken to a Tallahassee hospital with serious injuries.

There is no word on whether either person was wearing a helmet. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the deceased boy. We also wish the very best for the injured passenger.

So often, victims who fall off sport vehicles suffer skull fractures and blunt force trauma to the head and chest. More often than not, young people are injured when the large ATV, made for adults, gets away from them causing them to “lose control.”

Statistics by the Consumer Product Safety Commission show that in 2004, 44,000 children under the age of 16 were injured and 150 suffered fatally. That led to a call for a ban on the adult-size ATVs for children because the machines are too large and too fast to control.

Continue reading " Florida Four-Wheeler Accident Kills Boy " »

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Posted In: ATV Accidents , Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A car accident in Florida happened along U.S. 1 in the Northeastern part of the state around 5 p.m. Saturday, according to a report. A Hilliard woman is in critical condition after a car riding nearby slammed into her SUV, causing it to roll.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, both the car and SUV were traveling north. A 50 year-old driver’s car went out of control and struck the SUV. The 45 year-old woman inside the SUV was taken to Shands-Jacksonville with critical injuries. The other driver suffered minor injuries. FHP says charges may be filed.

Our condolences go out to both drivers and especially the woman in critical condition for a speedy recovery from this Florida SUV rollover accident.

According to state statistics, almost one-third of traffic fatalities involve a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, although we do not know at this time whether alcohol was involved in this accident.

In 2006, there were 959 alcohol-related fatalities in Florida. Under Florida law, DUI or driving under the influence of alcohol is measured at a 0.08 or above blood alcohol level (BAC).

The penalties in the state for a first conviction are no less than $500 nor more than $1,000. When the blood/breath level is .15 or higher, the fines rise to no less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000. Fines go up from there for a second, third of fourth conviction. But when jail time is added at the court’s discretion, it usually gets the attention of the driver. A person can be sent to a residential alcoholism or drug abuse treatment program - for a first conviction for no more than six months.

Continue reading " Florida SUV Rollover Accident Critically Injures Woman " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Rollover Accident

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With an ever-growing population caused by its close proximity to the beautiful Floridian coast, Jacksonville Beach, Florida houses a population of 21,849, as of July 2007. Typically referred to as “Jax Beach,” the area is part of Duval County and boasts a city density population of about 993 people per square mile, and plays host to a large number of tourists each and every year. Though Jacksonville Beach is part of Duval County, and essentially an ocean front extension of the city of Jacksonville, it is a municipality on its own.

According to the American Hospital Directory, there is one hospital located within the city limits. Healthcare in the state of Florida is highly competitive, with a large number of doctors and physicians looking to garner business just as any other company and/or entity supplying a service would do. As a result of this competition, proper care may not always be given, particularly if it means treating a larger number of patients in the long run in order to secure greater profit. In the event that you or a family received shoddy health care that proved more debilitating than useful, the Jacksonville Beach medical malpractice attorneys at Farah and Farah can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

In addition, pharmaceutical companies can be anxious to expose recently tested medications to the so as to acquire business and make a profit for themselves, sometimes in relative disregard to the well-being of Floridians everywhere, including those residents of Jacksonville Beach. The skilled Jacksonville Beach pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Farah and Farah will expose negligence to ensure that your rights as a consumer are upheld, and hold all negligible parties accountable for their actions, ultimately resulting in compensation for those whom they mistreated. Please contact our Jacksonville Beach office today:

472 Osceola Avenue
Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250
Phone: (904) 249-2585

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Posted In: Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation

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A woman was killed and two others were injured in a head-on crash early Friday morning in Columbia County in North Florida. According to a story, a 37-year old driver’s SUV was heading west on I-10. She struck a vehicle driving east with a 25-year-old woman of St. Petersburg behind the wheel. The problem is that the SUV was going east in a westbound lane. When she struck the other vehicle, the SUV left the road and went into the median and overturned. The SUV driver, of St. Augustine, died at the scene of this tragic auto accident in Florida.

The other driver and her passenger were injured when her car spun around. The Florida Highway Patrol will try to determine if alcohol was involved in this crash.

The wreck happened about 1:45 a.m. near the I-75 exchange.

Once again, we are reporting on an SUV that rolled after a collision. There is no word on what kind of SUV this was, but they all have a high center of gravity making them less stable than a car lower to the ground.

Often the problems of death due to rollovers are associated with a design defect that the vehicle manufacturer knew about.

Continue reading " Columbia County Auto Accident Kills One, Injures Two " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Personal Injury , Rollover Accident , Wrongful Death

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Last week Florida joined 25 other states that have made wearing seatbelts a primary offense which allows law enforcement to pull a driver over. Previously, there had to be some other reason to pull a driver over, with the seat belt violation as a secondary offense. Now an officer can write you a ticket for $100.

Seatbelts save lives and there is no debate on that point. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes that 1,700 serious injuries and 140 lives will be saved in Florida due to the primary seat belt law. This new enforcement will not only save lives, but also millions in associated costs which taxpayers ultimately pick up.

Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that in 2007, nearly 2,000 people were killed in crashes and 61 percent of them were not wearing a seat belt.

A seat belt saved the life of a Jacksonville woman and the three children she was watching, according to an article. Two weeks ago, her Ford Explorer was traveling south on 9A when the traffic in front of her suddenly slowed, she swerved, then overcorrected and rolled the Explorer twice, landing it atop an overpass with the wheels dangling 40 feet above the road. She and the kids were belted in. One child received a scraped knee.

Compare that to another auto accident in Florida in a Ford Explorer, two weeks ago, when four high school students, cutting school, were thrown from their SUV since none of them were wearing seat belts. Four teens died.

Continue reading " Florida’s New Primary Seatbelt Law " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Product Liability

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One person was killed when a pickup truck hit a 15-passenger van carrying six children and five adults on I-10. The family was trying to make up for some lost time on the road because the auto accident in Jacksonville happened shortly after 2 a.m. According to a story, a woman was driving a pickup was trying to exit the on-ramp at I-10 eastbound at Marietta. The Florida Highway Patrol reports the van hit a concrete barrier and rolled over several times. Several occupants were thrown from the van. No one knows how many people were wearing seat belts. The driver of the pickup was not injured. FHP is investigating whether alcohol might have been a factor.

A man involved in the Jacksonville 15 passenger van accident died at Shands Hospital and a one-year-old is in critical condition. Our hearts go out to the family that was just trying to join others in a reunion. We wish a speedy recovery for the injured baby.

According to the federal government, 15-passenger vans are the most dangerous vehicles on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued guidelines to drivers of these 12 to 15-passenger vans, specifically that drivers have specialty training and pass a written and skills test. Because the vans are top heavy and unstable, only a driver who is trained to stay on the road and who can keep the tires properly inflated and drive under the speed limit should be behind the wheel.

Passengers must wear their belts. Without one, someone in a 15-passenger van in a single-vehicle crash is about three times as likely to be killed as a retrained occupant, according to the federal government.

Continue reading " Auto Accident Involving Family Van Injures Six, Kills One " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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With a population of 805,605 people as of 2007, Jacksonville is the largest city in the state of Florida and the 12th largest in the nation (of any major U.S. city with a population of at least 100,000 people). Jacksonville is located in the First Coast region of northeast Florida, and is positioned about 340 miles north of Miami. Jacksonville, Florida is a popular destination spot for its beautiful beaches and gorgeous weather. For these very reasons, many people come to call Jacksonville their new home each year, moving into the city limits and establishing roots near the Floridian coast. With such a great volume of people permanently settling in Florida, it is important that Florida’s healthcare system is always operating at optimum levels to ensure that the injured and infirm are well taken care of.

Within Jacksonville, there are a total of 26 hospitals, and within the county limits there are 3,661 doctors. In a highly competitive healthcare system, there are numerous individual practitioners in the city of Jacksonville. With such competition often comes reduced quality of treatment and the unfortunate reality of medical malpractice in Jacksonville, which can be the failure to diagnose, birth injuries, hospital negligence, and surgical injuries. Factor in pharmaceutical companies that are driven by profits, often times speeding through clinical trials of medications in order to get the drugs prescribed to patients quicker, and you have a recipe for potential disaster relating to personal health care.

In the event that defective pharmaceuticals plague your well-being or the well-being of your family, please don’t hesitate to call the skilled Jacksonville pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Farah and Farah. Our knowledgeable lawyers will examine every aspect of your case, and will ensure that unscrupulous health care providers and pharmaceutical companies are held liable for less than quality services. Please call us today for a free consultation, and we will get you the compensation you deserve. Contact our Jacksonville office:

10 West Adams Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: (904) 396-5555

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Posted In: Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation

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If an individual files for bankruptcy protection because of mounting hospital bills, for instance, depending on the type of bankruptcy, you can have all of your debts wiped clean. The same thing apparently goes for major automakers, even while they are receiving taxpayer money to help them restructure.

With the help of the Treasury Department, Chrysler is wiping clean any liability for consumers who have pending product-liability lawsuits against their defective automobiles or parts.

Reportedly, the plan to do away with product liability claims was settled on during negotiations between the Treasury Department and Fiat. Chrysler chairman and CEO, Bob Nardelli, said that claimants would probably get nothing.

Fiat had initially been willing to assume Chrysler’s product liability claims before the Obama administration steered the company into bankruptcy.

What does that mean for the hundreds of consumers who have pending claims for being injured by exploding gas tanks, a roof that crushes in because the standards are not strong enough, a seat belt that doesn’t work, or a back hatch that flies open upon impact? It means that they are left out in the cold.

Continue reading " 40 Million Reasons To Sell Your GM Car " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Personal Injury , Product Liability

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A 51-year old Florida woman has been charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with a single-car wreck that killed two Jacksonville area teens last January. According to an article, a St. Johns County grand jury looked at the evidence in the case before deciding on the charges against the female driver. She is charged with allowing alcohol and drugs to be served at several parties she hosted at her house between September 26 and January 12. Minors consumed not only alcohol but marijuana and nitrous oxide and police say the 51 year old woman sometimes participated.

It’s believed that alcohol contributed to the car crash in Florida that took the lives of 18-year-old and 17-year-old. Early in the morning of January 12, the Thunderbird they were in was traveling along State Road 13 when it hit a guardrail and drove into a stand of trees where the car caught fire. The victims had to be identified by dental records. One of the victims’ blood alcohol measured at .18, twice the legal limit and the other teen’s BAC was .097, above the legal limit for intoxication.

The charged woman’s action led directly to the deaths, says the charging affidavit, as the teens were leaving her residence.

Continue reading " Florida Car Wreck Kills Two Teens Who Were Served Alcohol Illegally " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , DRAM Shop Law , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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For almost 20 years, Wendell Potter worked inside giant insurance companies, most recently as the VP of Corporate Communications for the CIGNA Corporation. He has left and now is speaking out. Watch him Friday night on Bill Moyers Journal tell secrets the industry would rather you not know. Potter also has a blog (Wendell Potter’s Blog) and is a Senior Fellow on Health Care with the Center for Media and Democracy, a nonprofit group dedicated to uncovering the public relations influences over government, opinion, and public policy.

Potter was the spokesman when CIGNA denied a transplant to a 17-year-old teen who needed one to live. Because of the bad publicity, the insurance giant caved in, but it was too late, Nataline Sarkisyan died, according to an account. That was part of Potter’s transformation as was seeing a giant health fair in Virginia, where the nonprofit group, Remote Area Medical, brings doctors and nurses to remote areas to help the uninsured and underinsured. They were being treated at state fairgrounds in cleaned out animal stalls. Welcome to health care in America where about 50 million people do not have health insurance.

If you have ever been treated badly by Big Insurance, please spend some time learning what happens from this insider who recently testified to Congress about what he has seen. ( Potter Testimony Transcript- Senate Commerce Committee, June 24, 2009)

Continue reading " Insurance Insider Blows the Whistle on Practices " »

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Posted In: Insurance Claims , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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An 18-month old suffered brain injuries in Jacksonville when she was hit by a car backing up at the Blodget Villas Apartments on June 2. She was in critical condition and had been in a coma as she battled a swelled brain. Saturday, June 27, her family celebrated her welcome home, according to a report. The little girl is walking and talking. She’ll be going to therapy three times a week, but all around is lucky to be alive.

We wish this young child a continued speedy recovery.

Luckily the little girl had a quick thinking grandmother who got her to Shands Hospital about four blocks away. When an accident results in a Florida traumatic brain injury, the intensive care unit can stabilize a patient until the bruised brain heals. In some cases, brain cells can regain their function. Whatever the reason for this miraculous recovery, we are grateful.

The little girl got away from her grandmother in the complex parking lot when she was hit, and unfortunately this is all too common an occurrence. The CDC reports over 9,100 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms due to non traffic, non-crash incidents. By far, backovers caused the bulk of the fatal kids and cars incidents - 44 percent of incidents from 2002 to 2007.
It actually happened again on June 21, when a 19-month-old went to follow her mother taking out the garbage. We have not heard an update on her condition after a truck ran over her hand. The driver simply didn’t see her.

Continue reading " Child Welcomed Home After Being Run Over " »

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Personal Injury

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Lake City is located in Columbia County, Florida and is known as the “Gateway To Florida.” With a population of about 12,000 and in a county whose population is on the rise (Columbia County has close to 68,000 inhabitants as of 2006), Lake City has become a popular tourist destination as well as a stop for those on route to Southern Florida. With such an expanse of visitors and residents who encounter all sorts of medical needs due to emergencies, injuries, illnesses, or health conditions, medical malpractice in Lake City is prone to occur.

Although most of us don’t want to believe or admit that medical malpractice in Lake City poses serious life-long affects because of failure to diagnose, birth injuries, hospital negligence, and surgical injuries, this kind of negligence is a reality throughout the U.S. and Florida. The knowledge and skills of a Lake City medical malpractice attorney is needed when taking on insurance companies, big hospitals, and/or doctors who will do anything, such as cover up mistakes, so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death.

As patients and consumers in Lake City who often rely on the aid of pharmaceutical products to help recover from or treat an illness, we expect that the products we are prescribed or buy over-the-counter are safe and don’t pose a risk to our lives. When a manufacturing company distributes medication that causes dangerous side effects to its users, those who are injured may receive compensation; however, this is no easy task. Pharmaceutical litigation is a complex process that requires an experienced Lake City pharmaceutical litigation attorney to help evaluate your case and the evidence involved so that justice can be attained. Contact Farah and Farah today to speak with a member of our legal team or contact us at our Lake City offices:

212 N. Marion Ave Suite 208
Lake City, FL 32055
Phone: (386) 754-7534

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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We’ve heard this story too often lately. Driving down an interstate a tire blows and the Ford Explorer rolls. It happened last Wednesday to a couple driving on Interstate 75 in Alachua County. According to an account, around 2 p.m. their Explorer had a blowout causing it to roll several times and landing in several trees. The Florida Highway Patrol arrived on the scene and along with Alachua rescue workers had to rescue the couple from the vehicle. Both suffered serious injuries from the car accident in Florida, but thankfully both were wearing their seat belts. That move, which only takes a second, likely saved their lives.

We wish them the very best in their recovery. They are lucky to be alive.

While the reporter does not say how old the Ford Explorer was, until recent models, that SUV was known to be top heavy with a tendency roll. Stability control was standard in the Ford Explorer beginning in 2005 and an option before that. The roof strength was also lacking, making a head injury possible. People not strapped in were known to be ejected from the vehicle and then suffer traumatic head injury. I can’t tell you how many times we have seen the same unfortunate situation time and time again.

The other consideration for any vehicle is the life of the tires. You practically need a secret decoder ring to read the date of a tire. The last number of the DOT tells you when they were made – the week and year.

And just because you buy ‘new” tires and they look new, does not mean they really are new nor does it eliminate the possibility that you have defective tires. Used tires can look new also. Tires are supposed to have a shelf life of about six years as a guideline, but there are many other things to consider such as the climate where they drive.

Continue reading " SUV Accident Caused by Blowout, Explorer Rolls " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Personal Injury , Rollover Accident

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A Baker County deputy and his girlfriend were riding their all-terrain vehicle (ATV) last Sunday night when they went off the road and hit a tree in the Osceola National Forest.

According to a report, they lost control of the ATV when one of the wheels went in a ditch. The Yamaha drifted into a tree, ejecting both the Deputy and his girlfriend, who both suffered head injuries and were airlifted to Shands- Jacksonville Medical Center. The woman was listed in critical condition for her personal injuries in Florida. Neither individual was wearing a helmet. Alcohol was not a factor in this crash.

The injured woman has since had to endure surgery to relieve pressure on the brain from a blood clot. She had her spleen removed but was able to move her toes and fingers, always a concern in a neck and head injury. She is also on a special ventilator reportedly brought in from Orlando.

Our condolences go out to both families with wishes that they pull through this ATV auto accident in Florida.

Continue reading " Deputy and Girlfriend Hurt In ATV Accident " »

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Posted In: ATV Accidents , Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Personal Injury

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Orange Park is a suburb of Jacksonville located in Northeast Clay County just south of Jacksonville, Florida. Rich in history and a thriving community, Orange Park has a great deal to offer. Clay County, which Orange Park is located in, is also a bustling region of Florida. With a population in excess of 180,000 and a very high population density, hundreds of residents and visitors rely on a variety of medication to maintain healthy living or treat an illness or condition. Many people don’t want to believe or admit that pharmaceutical litigation in Orange Park occurs due to adverse drug reactions and dangerous side effects that went undetected in testing or were ignored while more products were distributed.

As patients and consumers who often rely on the aid of pharmaceutical products, we expect that the products we are prescribed or buy over-the-counter are safe and don’t pose a risk to our lives. When a manufacturing company distributes medication that causes dangerous side effects to its users, those who are injured may receive compensation; however, this is no easy task. An experienced Orange Park pharmaceutical litigation attorney can help you if you’ve suffered injury due to medication by evaluating the evidence involved so that justice can be attained.

While encountering a variety of life’s obstacles, many people require medical attention for different conditions and emergencies of all kinds. Unfortunately, cases of medical malpractice in Orange Park happen from time to time, as they do across the nation, resulting from failure to diagnose, birth injuries, hospital negligence, and surgical injuries, just to name a few. The knowledge and skills of a Orange Park medical malpractice attorney is needed when taking on insurance companies, big hospitals, and/or doctors who will do anything like cover up mistakes so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death. If you have been injured from a defective drug or have suffered medical malpractice in Orange Park, contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah today for a confidential consultation:

1534 Kingsley Avenue
Orange Park, Florida 32073
Phone: (904) 264-0700

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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A nurse of Shands Hospital was injured in a hit and run accident in a crosswalk outside of the hospital where she works around 7pm on Sunday June 23, 2009. According to an article, Police in Jacksonville have arrested a man they say is responsible for hitting the woman and driving off.

The driver who hit the pedestrian said that he was looking in his mirror and didn’t see her. He then made the grave mistake of leaving the scene. He didn’t have a valid license.

We are so sorry for the family of the woman who was injured in this Jacksonville pedestrian accident and wish her the speediest of recoveries. Her condition is not known at this time.

The Florida Highway Patrol says fear is the reason most hit-and-run drivers flee, in addition to the fact that they have something to hide, such as not having a valid driver’s license or being under the influence. While it is not an admission of guilt, state law requires you to stay at the scene of a collision with a pedestrian. It doesn’t matter who is at fault at that time.

Leaving the scene is a crime, the statute 316.027 reads:

(1)(a) The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash resulting in injury of any person must immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the crash, or as close thereto as possible, and must remain at the scene of the crash until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of s. 316.062. Any person who willfully violates this paragraph is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

Continue reading " Jacksonville Hit and Run Pedestrian Accident " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury

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A family was traveling from St. Petersburg, Florida, heading up to Tennessee for a family reunion on Father’s Day. They were driving large van loaded with six children and five adults on Interstate 10 about two in the morning when they were involved in a fatal van crash in Florida.

According to a story, a pickup truck was trying to exit the on-ramp at I-10 eastbound when it collided with the van. It then hit a concrete barrier and rolled over several times. It’s not known how many people were wearing seat belts, but several occupants were thrown from the van. The pickup driver was not injured. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating whether alcohol might have been a factor.

A 49-year old passenger died at Shands Hospital and a one-year-old is in critical condition. Many of the other children were hospitalized.

According to the federal government, the 15-passenger van is the most dangerous vehicle on the road. Why? Because it is unstable and the roof strength can’t withstand a roll, very often head injuries result- the most catastrophic types of injury.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports when there are 10 or move people inside a van, the extra weight raises the center of gravity and causes it to shift rearward making the van more susceptible to rollovers and poor handling.

58 people lost their lives in accidents in 2006 and 80 percent of those people killed in rollovers in 15-passenger vans were unbelted.

The law allows these dangerous vehicles to stay on the road and NHTSA has issued more safety advisories about them than about any other vehicle. Basically here is what we know:

• Drivers of these vans should receive specialty training and should have to pass a written and skills test. NHTSA has encouraged states to make a specific license for drivers of these vans. Since any sudden turn of the wheel can cause them to go off the road, keeping speed low is essential, and keeping tires properly inflated is crucial.


• Everyone needs to wear their seat belts. Period. Without one, someone in a 15-passenger van in a single-vehicle crash is about three times as likely to be killed, according to the federal government.

Continue reading " 1-10 Crash Injures 6, Kills One " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Today is day one of Operation C.A.R.E. that stands for Combined Accident Reduction Effort and is being conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol. Those of you on the roads for the next 72-hours will be watched very carefully for speeding, not wearing your seat belt, and DUI. The CARE program and increased traffic patrols runs through Sunday.

FHP is very serious and plans to conduct DUI checkpoints and have DUI teams driving through areas looking for those of you driving under the influence.

Additional radar, laser, motorcycles, and marked and unmarked patrol vehicles will be on the road as well as aircraft to spot violators from the air, then direct troopers to pull them over. All of this is intended to reduce the number of crashes expected.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that the Independence Day weekend is the deadliest for motor vehicle accidents in Florida and across the country – with 161 deaths on that day alone in 2004. This year, if you are on the road and see someone behind the wheel who should not be, FHP has set up a number – dial *FHP (*347) from your cell phone and you can report an aggressive driver and also request roadside assistance as well.

Enjoy the fireworks, our great country, stay well and don't become another statistic.

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Posted In: Drunk Driving Accident

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If you’ve got the boat ready for a weekend on the water, the Coast Guard has a warning for you- Wear a Life Jacket!

The Coast Guard says the July 4th holiday is the deadliest holiday for boaters, so they and Florida Fish and Wildlife units will be out patrolling the waterways this Independence Day holiday in 12-hour shifts, according to a report.

For the same reason you wear a seat belt in a car, a life jacket is a must when there are more people boating, especially at night when it’s difficult to see. Not everyone is likely to be paying attention with the fireworks going off, so it’s always a good idea to have a second observer paying attention to where you are going and looking for any hazards in the water.

Another thing to remember- just like driving a car, don’t drive a boat drunk. Alcohol is a known factor in about 20 percent of fatal boating accidents, so if you plan on drinking, name a designated driver.

Our waters can be very shallow and unpredictable, especially in Intracoastal waters, and tides and currents can make boating a challenge on the St. Johns River.

When out in deep water, running out of gas is a problem for some who are not paying attention. The Coast Guard will be bringing extra fuel containers onboard for those boaters this weekend. And after ten hours on the water – don’t forget about the drained batteries you will need to get back home.

Continue reading " Buckle Up Onboard for 4th of July Weekend " »

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Posted In: Boating Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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Two years ago, one 10 year old girl, was doing well in school and at home, but she had one reoccurring problem. She kept having strep throat. Her mother and doctor couldn’t figure out what was going on until the girl had to give up her bedroom to guests for a week. Her strep throat went away.

According to an article, turns out she didn’t use her dental rinse during that time. Agent Cool Blue Listerine is geared toward children and shows up a blue color when plaque is left behind. It’s supposed to encourage brushing. Instead it is encouraging a lawsuit.

This girl is now at the head of what may turn out to be a class action product liability lawsuit. Listerine, made by a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, admitted to consumers that four different types of bacteria were found in the formulation two years ago. The four contaminants were: pseudomonas flurorescens; klebsiella oxytoca; serratia marcescens; enterobactar cloacae; all bacteria that grew in the absence of any preservative.

About 200 potential plaintiffs have joined the product liability lawsuit complaining of the same symptoms, repeated strep throat, high temperature, extremely large sores in their mouths, and cracking of permanent molars.

The company immediately reformulated the product and added a preservative.

But that may not have done the trick.

Continue reading " West Palm Listerine Product Liability " »

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Posted In: Class Action , Health & Information , Personal Injury , Product Liability

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St. Augustine is home to the oldest port in the continental United States – in fact, St. Augustine is commonly referred to as “the nation’s oldest city.” In 2004, the population was estimated to be 12,157. Home to beautiful beaches and museums, St. Augustine continues to be a popular tourist destination in Northern Florida. Located about 40 miles south of Jacksonville and 60 miles north of Daytona Beach just 5 miles east of Interstate 95, St. Augustine is also a well traversed location.

With hundreds of residents and visitors relying on a plethora of medication to maintain healthy living or treat an illness, many people don’t want to believe or admit that pharmaceutical litigation in St. Augustine occurs. As patients and consumers who often rely on the aid of pharmaceutical products, we expect that the products we are prescribed or buy over-the-counter are safe and don’t pose a risk to our lives. When a manufacturing company distributes medication that causes dangerous side effects to its users, those who are injured may receive compensation; however, this is no easy task. Pharmaceutical litigation is a complex process that requires an experienced St. Augustine pharmaceutical litigation attorney to help evaluate your case and the evidence involved so that justice can be attained.

While encountering a variety of life’s obstacles, many people require medical attention for different conditions and emergencies of all kinds. Unfortunately, cases of medical malpractice in St. Augustine happen from time to time, as it does across the nation, resulting from failure to diagnose, birth injuries, hospital negligence, and surgical injuries, just to name a few. The knowledge and skills of a medical malpractice attorney is needed when taking on insurance companies, big hospitals, and/or doctors who will do anything like cover up mistakes so that they aren’t held responsible for their negligent actions that put innocent people at risk for suffering life-changing injury or wrongful death. If you have been injured from a defective drug or have suffered medical malpractice, contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah today for a confidential consultation:

1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
Phone: (904) 797-7977

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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Two people died and two others were injured in a one-vehicle car accident in Northeast Florida that injured a four-year-old. The crash happened just northeast of Macclenny at about 6 p.m., according to a report.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the car was traveling north on County Road 125 and for unknown reasons veered off the road onto the shoulder. The driver just kept going and apparently did not apply his brakes or try to correct the path. After about 175 feet, the car, a Lincoln Continental, hit a large oak tree.

The driver from Pensacola and a front seat passenger were trapped in the vehicle for more than an hour while rescue workers tried to extricate them. The FHP says two passengers died from their injuries.

The little 4-year-old received serious injuries. The driver was in serious condition, but survived.

What we know so far from FHP is that everyone was wearing their seat belts and that alcohol was a factor in the wreck.

It is state law that every child be placed in a federally approved child restraint device or in the case of a 4 or 5-year-old, they must be in a separate carrier or an integrated child seat or seat belt. We are thankful that someone thought to strap this child in as it likely saved his life.

Continue reading " Baker County Crash " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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You may have heard the news reports about the popular cold remedy, Zicam.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is ordering the maker of Zicam to cease marketing the little bottle with the big nasal spray after continuing reports that some users have lost their sense of smell.

Here are the three over-the-counter Zicam products affected:

• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel


• Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs


• Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)

Perhaps most serious is that the FDA believes that Zicam maker, Matrixx, may have received more than 800 complaints directly to the company regarding product liability injury, which by a 2007 FDA regulation are supposed to be turned over to the FDA.

Matrixx Initiatives stand behind the science of its products and its belief that there is no causal link between its intranasal gel products and anosmia. The company says the FDA action is unwarranted. They plan to cooperate with the FDA to review safety data.

But for fans of Zicam, don’t worry. The cold tablets made by Zicam also deliver the homeopathic ingredient, zinc gluconate, a naturally occurring mineral. The only difference is in the delivery. Directly into the nasal passages causes the working ingredients to be absorbed immediately.

Continue reading " Zicam Warning for Consumer Safety " »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Health & Information , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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